What is the Key to Leadership Success? Focus on the Right Intentions

As leaders, your intentions matter, whether they are for yourself or others, writes LaRae Quy, who three things to focus on.

I became an FBI agent in my mid-20s and was the youngest in my New Agents class. The FBI appreciated the scrappiness and spunk I developed while growing up on a remote cattle ranch in Wyoming. However, it didn’t take long to realize that what got me there wouldn’t keep me there.

Sure, my scrappiness and spunk convinced my bosses that I would stick with a complex investigation long enough to see it through. However, I was surrounded by older and more experienced agents who effortlessly turned those intricate investigations into logical conclusions at lightning speed. I lagged, and while I eventually arrived at the same results, witnessing their expertise made me realize that achieving leadership success required an extra step if I wanted to stand out.

I was fortunate to work alongside many agents who allowed me to observe and understand what made them exceptional. I quickly learned that successful agents made deliberate choices in their personal and professional lives. 

In other words, it wasn’t their superior intelligence but rather the strength of their intention that allowed them to reach their full potential and determine who they wished to be. Their choices were focused and deliberate. They never made the mistake of confusing an autocratic voice for that of a leader.

The most effective leader in any organization begins each day with intention, and this intention is more than a fleeting declaration. It represents a conscious decision to pursue self-improvement and a determination not to allow events or other people to dictate who or what they will become.

When we live with intention, we live purposefully. We make conscious choices to achieve specific outcomes. Intentionality demands that we be proactive rather than reactive, concentrating intentionally on what truly matters to us.

Here are tips on how to focus on the right intentions:

1. Conscious vs. subconscious thinking

Traditionally, the subconscious mind has been considered inferior to the conscious mind. However, recent brain imaging studies have indicated that the same brain regions are active, regardless of whether a person is aware of a process.

It’s important to note that estimates suggest only 5% of human brain activity is conscious, while the remaining 95% occurs subconsciously. Much of our behavior is subconscious; we reflect on the cause of our behavior later. If the subconscious is the primary source of our behavior, we function primarily on autopilot. 

This tension between our conscious and subconscious minds should motivate us to find ways to become more conscious and, thereby, more intentional in our everyday lives. 

The Stoics would say that our thoughts determine the character of our reality. Our life is what our thoughts make of it.

“The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes the color of your thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius

My tip: 

• Start each day by asking yourself what you need or want to achieve. 
• Write it down. 
• Repeat the thought to encode it in your mind. 
• Begin with small steps. Achieving small victories will empower you to pursue bigger changes.

2. Develop a sense of purpose

There is a strong connection between our daily intentions and actual performance. A 2018 study revealed that when we set clear intentions for ourselves, we become motivated to achieve those goals. Furthermore, once we reach or surpass our goals, we experience tremendous satisfaction. 

As a new FBI agent for the first few years, I often felt like I was drifting through the day in a fog. Everyone was heading in their chosen direction, while I was pulled through the day by the currents created by others.

I hadn’t focused my attention on my intention, which had not been embedded into my subconscious as something significant to me and my career. I was an investigator but hadn’t engaged the mental bloodhound needed to uncover the possibilities in my environment.

Our intentions are important because they give us a valuable sense of purpose and control. We feel less motivated when we see life as a sequence of rigid procedures over which we have little control or creative input, such as deadlines and meetings.

Live with purpose. Don’t wander around aimlessly. Don’t swing like a boxer, hitting nothing but air.

My tip: 

• Commit and identify one thing you can do daily to be more intentional. 
• Ask, “How will this make me a better leader?” 
• Keep digging until you have a detailed answer.

3. Effective leadership development

It’s not enough for leaders to have good intentions if they focus only on themselves. The next question is: What is your intent toward others? If you only care about yourself and your career, you are not a leader but a warlord. 

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. —Margaret Tyson

People want to do their best, and our job as leaders is to give them the tools. Good intentions are an essential quality of any leader because intentionality increases the power of each important relationship. It helps us understand the purpose and importance of every relationship. Knowing why and how a relationship is essential helps us grow and develop it further.

The key lies in intentional leadership development. When purposeful, leaders create a positive ripple effect that benefits the organization. Employees feel recognized and valued, leading to greater loyalty, improved teamwork and higher employee retention. For example, instead of asking someone, “How is it going?” ask, “How is it going today?” This tiny tweak helps you be more intentional and specific in your interactions with others.

My tip:

You cannot transform your company or team unless you reflect on who you are as a leader. Ask yourself these questions:

• Have you decided what kind of leader you want to be?
• Can you articulate your purpose?
• What are you doing to create an environment where others can grow?
• What values define you?
• Are you authentic in your dealings with people?

Leadership success requires intentional choices to help develop a clear sense of purpose and team development.

Written by:  LaRae Quy, former FBI undercover and counterintelligence agent, for SmartBrief.